A drive control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle that is equipped with an internal combustion engine and an electric motor as power sources and that performs combustion startup (ignition startup) that utilizes expansion stroke injection has already been disclosed in, for example, Patent Literature 1. According to the aforementioned drive control apparatus, a configuration is adopted that causes the ignition and combustion in the internal combustion engine to be started in synchrony with a timing at which torque (assist torque) from a drive wheels side is imparted to the internal combustion engine at a time of ignition startup. Further, to avoid the occurrence of torque shock that is caused by torque being taken to the internal combustion engine side from the drive wheels side when starting the internal combustion engine, the torque of the electric motor is increased.